[wintv]

Can any member/s recommend a non intrusive app to allow me to Face time friends with IOS phones. Had a look on Google play and it looks like a minefield to make a choice i.e. bad reviews etc.

My phone is a Samsung Galaxy S5 mini.

Many thanks in advance.

[DarthFader]

Have you thought about using Skype? Sorry if it is an obvious question, just thought it would be easier cross platform.

[WelshBluebird]

Facetime is an apple developed application and protocol which they have not made available to anyone else.
As such any application claiming to allow you to use Facetime on non supported devices is at best probably lying to you, and at worst is probably a scam app / probably contains malware.

[jsmith99]

I'm told there's a new communication website called (if I've got it right) oovoo. It's cross-platform, and allows conference calls.

According to my grandchildren, anyway.

[artnada]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsmith99

I'm told there's a new communication website called (if I've got it right) oovoo. It's cross-platform, and allows conference calls.

According to my grandchildren, anyway.

Oovoo's been going for years

[davor]

Is FaceTime app the same as any other Skype-like app? How do I add people as contacts there? I don't know anyone who uses FaceTime.

[wintv]

Thank you for above comments.

Yes I have Skype installed so that will do sadly not many of my contacts use Skype hence the original enquiry.

However as I am not selling my iphone, I have just tried it and I am able to face time even with no sim installed so covered both ways now.

[BKM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davor

Is FaceTime app the same as any other Skype-like app? How do I add people as contacts there? I don't know anyone who uses FaceTime.

Facetime is far better than Skype (integrated with the dialer and contacts for example) for inter-iPhone and iPad communication. It does however only work between Apple devices!

[Aye Up]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKM

Facetime is far better than Skype (integrated with the dialer and contacts for example) for inter-iPhone and iPad communication. It does however only work between Apple devices!

I recall a time when Jobs was alive that the FaceTime feature set was to be open sourced. Sadly Apple never followed through on that promise.

The best equivalent application to FaceTime is probably Google Hangouts or as mentioned Skype. Skype seems to have taken over the market that used to exist for MSN Messenger users, most people who webcam will have a Skype account.

Because of the way Facetime and iMessage are built they do have a tendency to cause problems for users who have left the platforum (moving to Android for example), but thats digressing.

If voice is ok then WhatsApp now suppports this feature (rumours of a Video function in the future).

[moox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aye Up

I recall a time when Jobs was alive that the FaceTime feature set was to be open sourced. Sadly Apple never followed through on that promise.
.

They also claimed that it used open standards (SIP etc) which would make it easy for third parties to link into it. But as you say, they haven't even tried to make it available to to others.

I don't think I've ever made a Facetime call. I don't know enough people with Apple kit

[BKM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aye Up

The best equivalent application to FaceTime is probably Google Hangouts or as mentioned Skype. Skype seems to have taken over the market that used to exist for MSN Messenger users, most people who webcam will have a Skype account.

Skype, of course, is also available for Apple devices.

One feature I like about Facetime is that it can be associated with a number of addresses/phone numbers on each device. For example Facetime to my phone number will (I think!) ring on the iPhone and (WiFi only!) iPad - as will calls to one email address. A second email address is only associated with the IPad.

[jchamier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aye Up

I recall a time when Jobs was alive that the FaceTime feature set was to be open sourced. Sadly Apple never followed through on that promise.

Yes, that was majorly irritating. It could have become a good competitor to Microsoft Skype.

Quote:

The best equivalent application to FaceTime is probably Google Hangouts or as mentioned Skype. Skype seems to have taken over the market that used to exist for MSN Messenger users, most people who webcam will have a Skype account.

Because of the way Facetime and iMessage are built they do have a tendency to cause problems for users who have left the platforum (moving to Android for example), but thats digressing.

I've not used Hangouts but its also on iOS. Skype is useful as its on all platforms, PC / Mac and mobile. The main problem people have with switching away from iOS is forgetting to disable iMessage before upgrading the phone (or switching network).

Apple now provides a site to disable iMessage:
https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage

Quote:

If voice is ok then WhatsApp now suppports this feature (rumours of a Video function in the future).

WhatApp voice only on Android so far, not iOS or Blackberry 10.

[jsmith99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by artnada

Oovoo's been going for years

Well, all I can say is that I'd never heard of it until a couple of weeks ago.